Class started out normally enough. Maya was teasing Lucas, Lucas was teasing back politely, Riley was staring at Lucas and Maya, Charlie was trying to get Riley's attention away from Lucas and Maya, Farkle and Smackle were lost in their lovey-dovey nerd world, and Zay was watching Lucas and Maya's interactions like a hawk. All in all, completely ordinary.

Until the bell rang.

"Morning, class. Today I'm bringing in a special guest to help me teach for community service," said Mr. Matthews. Murmurs started through the room. Riley raised her hand. "Yes, Riley."

"Is it Uncle Eric again?"

"Not this time, honey."

Maya raised her hand. "Is it boing?" Mr. Matthews shook his head.

Lucas tapped Maya on the shoulder. "Boing? I'm right here." Maya rolled her eyes.

"No, you're Bucky McBoingboing. Uncle boing is-"

"-My uncle Josh, who she has a crush on," Riley interjected. "You met him at game night."

Lucas made a face. "You like her uncle?"

"Riley..."

"Sorry, Peaches!"

"Wait, why do you call him boing?" Lucas asked.

Maya scoffed. "Have you seen him?"

"Oh." A smirk grew on Lucas's face. "And boingboing? What does that mean?"

"You don't want to go there, Bucky."

"I'm just curious as to what you mean..."

"Dad, don't you have something to teach us or something?"

Mr. Matthews furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "Yeah, okay. As I was saying, I'm letting someone new take over the class for today's lesson on working together. History itself would cease to exist if human beings didn't form bonds with one another." Farkle raised his hand. "Farkle?"

"Farkle time, sir?"

"Not today, Farkle."

Riley spoke up, her eyebrows furrowed. "Why do we need a new teacher, anyway? You do fine on your own."

"Yeah," Maya agreed, making a face. "And if it's not squirrelly or boing, who is it?"

Mr. Matthews smiled."I'll let her introduce herself."

"Why?" Riley asked, exasperated.

"Who?" Maya asked, impatiently.

As the class collapsed into muttering again, a small, red headed girl walked in and jumped on the desk, sitting cross legged. She watched the class in amusement and apprehension, brushing her hair up into a ponytail. She waited until the talking stopped and everyone noticed her to wave. "Sup."

Maya's eyes widened and she started muttering. Riley's eyes widened for a completely different reason. This new girl's hair color was not natural. She looked like someone who hung out with the rebel. "Who are you?"

The girl smiled timidly. "I'm Lana. I'm from the high school connected to this one."

Maya forgot her shock temporarily. "This thing goes through high school?"

Lana shrugged, eyeing Maya apologetically. "Yeah, Maya. Sorry."

Maya groaned. Riley was confused. "Wait, you two know each other? How?"

"I am Maya's half sister."

Riley blinked. "I'm sorry, you're her WHAT?"

Maya grimaced slightly and turned to Riley. "She's from my dads family. She is his other daughter." Lucas reached over and squeezed her shoulder.

"You okay?"

Maya nodded.

There was a silence. Lana cleared her throat, hopping off the desk. "Right, so now that that awkwardness is over, how about we introduce ourselves. I'll go first. My name is Lana Clutterbucket. I am seventeen years old. My favorite food is chocolate dipped strawberries and this is not my natural hair color." A few people chuckled. A pause.

Maya sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll go." She leaned further on Lucas's desk. "I'm Maya. I'm fourteen. My favorite food is none of your business and also not important at all and you don't look me in the eyes."

Lana blinked. "Please say your last name."

Maya rolled her eyes. "It's Hart. Everyone here knows this. You know this. Or you don't, I don't know or care what your dad's told you about my mom."

Lana glared slightly. "Maya, I'm gonna ignore the fact that you just disowned your own father-"

"He basically disowned me."

"Well than we have that in common, don't we?"

Maya glowered. "At least he came back for you."

There was a silence. The rest of the class looked at them with rapt attention like the middle schoolers they were. Always for the gossip, thought Lana absently. She collected herself.

"Okay, Hart, how about this. From this moment up until I leave, we do not have a history. You are Maya Hart. I am Lana Clutterbucket. We've just met. Treat me like you treat all of your other teachers."

Maya raised an eyebrow.

Mr. Matthews snorted.

Lana shrugged. "I said it, I regret it, I am not taking it back. Now, you, behind Hart. Introduce yourself."

Lucas straightened up in his seat. "I'm Lucas Friar. I'm from Texas-"

"Really, Huckleberry, you choose that as your introduction?"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but maybe you'd find my introduction more satisfactory if you'd let me finish it?" Maya gestured for him to continue. Lana raised an eyebrow. Lucas gave Maya a goading smile and cleared his throat. "As I was saying, my name is Lucas Friar. I'm originally from Austen, Texas. I like barbecue and fortune cookies. I go by many names."

Maya snorted. "'I go by many names'? Who are you, James Bond?"

"If I'm James Bond, will you be my Pu-"

"If you finish that sentence, I'm tying you to that chair and leaving you here the rest of the day."

Lana snorted. "So I'm guessing this is Huckleberry the heehawing, sheep riding cowboy?"

Maya glared. "We don't know each other, remember?"

Missy raised her hand. "Wait, hold up. Sheep riding?"

Lucas turned to Maya. "Maya?"

Riley didn't like his tone. "Lucas!"

Maya glared harder. "Lana."

Farkle turned to Zay. "Zay."

Zay turned to Farkle. "Farkle."

Lana blinked rapidly. "Um, okay, moving on!"

Lucas raised his hand. "You can't run away from your problems, Maya's sister."

"Half sister!" Maya interjected. "And we don't know each other!"

Lana nodded. "And I can do whatever I want, Maya's cowboy. Also, why doesn't anyone in this class wait until they're called on to talk?"

Mr. Matthews shrugged. "Everyone else does. These five have Main Character Privilege."

Lana tilted her head. "They have what?"

"I said they have no manners."

Lana nodded, still confused. "Right."